ISO Webcam Freeware - bitesize files

kopfjaeger · March 29th, 2009, 10:42 AM

Greetings,

I am looking for a freeware application to use in conjunction with a usb webcam, or even better yet, multiple usb webcams.

The capture applications I have seen will capture video but the file sizes can get very large, making their retrieval and editing problematic, if not impossible.

What would be great is an automatic, motion-activated application that will start recording, but if the file size exceeds, say for instance, 2MBs, it will automatically start a new file, and continue recording until detected motion ceases.

The resolution needs to be sufficient to be able to make an identification of any intruder's faces caught on camera and other details, such as car tags.

Finally, if the app would allow up to say four webcams to be running at the same time, that would be ideal.

I have been searching for applications without much success. What I have been finding are applications which allow you to view other people's online webcams or to put your own webcam online.

While the remote viewing and recording of a security cam or several security cams would be nice, I am just trying to at least solve the first few problems.

If you know of any such programs or applications, please do let me know. Perhaps post their URLs here.

Thanks,

KJ

bigBonehead · March 30th, 2009, 02:04 PM

".........The resolution needs to be sufficient to be able to make an identification of any intruder's faces caught on camera and other details, such as car tags........"

I think you will find you can't have yer cake and eat it too... For that type resolution, you will nesesarrily have a large file size...

kopfjaeger · March 31st, 2009, 01:32 PM

Varun,

Thank you very much.

Bonehead,

You might learn something from Varun's post. His response was concise and full of information, along with a link to a service that addresses the call of the question. Why respond unless you can resolve the issue?

Once again, thank you Varun.

KJ

bigBonehead · April 1st, 2009, 11:55 PM

From HomeCamera's site:

Why are video clips only 10 seconds long? Can I get longer clips? And how about video streaming?

Video clips are recorded live - i.e. when you hit the "video" icon, the HomeCamera client commences recording the clip. This clip must first be recorded, then uploaded to the HomeCamera server, and then downloaded back to the PC from which you requested the video. The entire process takes roughly twice as long to complete as the original duration of the clip (so, for example, a 10 second clip might need 20 seconds to get to your PC). Our user-testing showed most users dislike waiting beyond 20 - 25 seconds; as a result, we compromised on setting the default video clip duration at 10 seconds.

That said, we will soon introduce a feature where you can customize the duration of video clips from your cameras. Drop us a note from the Contact Us page if you'd like us to inform you when this feature is added.

Video streaming is certainly where high in our list of feature priorities. A team of high-calibre developers are working on building this technology and we expect to offer live streaming in the next few months. Drop us a note from the Contact Us page if you'd like us to inform you when this feature is added.

As this doesn't satisfy your stated requirements, I'm not sure what the fuss is about...

kopfjaeger · April 2nd, 2009, 12:58 AM

Fuss?

No fuss.

Your initial response was pretty much useless. It seems there are those who like to post responses to the effect that 'you can't do it,' or 'that is impossible' without them first doing extensive research, or pausing for thought or reflection. It seems that those sort of responders just like to have their names up in pixels, rather than actually convey useful knowledge.

If you have nothing useful to add, why bother responding?

On the other hand, Varun, and other helpful posters like Varun, provide links to something approaching the stated requirements, or otherwise provide all or part of the answer to the question.

Now you respond again, to what purpose?

Please, before you post a response to a request for information, have something constructive and useful to share. Varun's post is a good example of a good response. It may not be a definitive answer, but certainly it is a stride in the right direction.

Otherwise no fuss and let me commend you on an excellent username.

bigBonehead · April 2nd, 2009, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigBonehead

".........The resolution needs to be sufficient to be able to make an identification of any intruder's faces caught on camera and other details, such as car tags........"

I think you will find For that type resolution, you will nesesarrily have a large file size...

Except for the part which I feel you where alienated by:

"......you can't have yer cake and eat it too......"

Which part of my response is the sticking point? As anyone who works with video will tell you, High Resolution = big files....

I was merely trying to point out the fact that what you stated you wanted to do in your original post was nigh impossible: High resolution video w/file size @ or under 2mb...

And Yes... I am a Neanderthal....

But jeeze... look how long we've been around! {;>

**RicheemxX** · April 2nd, 2009, 03:19 PM

Hey Kop got some bad news for ya, Varun is a spammer, he works for the company. So while you might have thought his post was slightly more helpful it indeed was not. While I don't know if the company is legit or not, I'm sure there are others out there that do provide similar services.

However from what I read that is not the type of solution you are looking for. You might try one of these solutions

Lifehacker - Turn Your Webcam into a Motion-Sensing Security Camera with Yawcam - Downloads
Lifehacker - Use your webcam as a security camera - Downloads

kopfjaeger · April 2nd, 2009, 11:36 PM

Thanks Rich,

and Varun, thanks once again.

Bonehead -- dude -- let it go.

Quote:

but if the file size exceeds, say for instance, 2MBs, it will automatically start a new file, and continue recording until detected motion ceases.

First, you misunderstood the question, and then failed to provide any useful answer.

Logic dictates that a higher resolution will require more memory. But if the program automatically starts a new file when the last one hits 2 MB then you are still just dealing with 2MB files. It's just that their duration will be shorter than a file using a lower resolution.

The call of the question involves a freeware that will do just that.

For instance, although I have not yet tested it, DORGEM seems promising.

Quote:

Dorgem is a webcam capture application for Windows 9x and up. Any Video for Windows compatible webcam (or other digital camera) is supported.

It has unlimited storage events that can put the captured image on an FTP site as well as a local disk, all with their own time interval. It can put a unlimited texts and bitmaps on the captured image before the image is stored.

Dorgem supports an unlimited number of simultaneous cameras. It has a built-in webserver for still images and can be used as security camera because of its motion detection.